This article is from page 14 of the 2006-03-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
A WOMAN who was given a stolen laser card in Limerick and told to go to Ennis and do the best she could with it, has been jailed for four months.
Kathleen Stickle (22), of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, unlawfully obtained goods to the value of €865, in nine premises in Ennis and surrounding areas, on September 30, 2004.
Ennis District Court was told she was given the card in Limerick and told to go to Ennis with it.
Stickle was addicted to cocaine at the time and had fallen into arrears with a drug dealer in Limerick.
Her solicitor Daragh Hassett said his client’s doctor was asking the court to give her a break. He said the mother-of-one would not benefit from going to jail.
“If she goes to prison there is no-one to look after her child. She is petrified she will get a prison sentence,” he said.
“It wasn’t that she stole the card. She was given the card. It was brought on by her dealings with nasty people,” said the solicitor.
Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court that the accused had 17 previous convictions, in Limerick. Mr Hassett said those arose out of a few incidents, most of which were public order offences. “This is her most serious todate, without a doubt,” he said.
Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a four month jail term and fixed recognisances of €500 in the event of an appeal.